For a long time, my playlist was... well... The Descendents. They still find a home on my playlist at least three times a day. No band really spoke to me the way they did, I could relate to their lyrics no matter what song. Time after time after fucking time, their melodic music mixed with pure aggression and honest lyrics saved me from a hole. Whenever I need a mood stabilizer in music, I turn to them. James and I were lucky enough to sit down with Milo Aukerman, (front man everyone should know). Now, we got to ask him some great questions he was humble enough to answer. Ladies and gentlemen.... The Milo interview!
-Craiger
Are there any songs that have been retired from your setlist?
Yeah, a lot of them! Sometimes it's just that somebody's not into playing a particular song cuz it's too slow, or the lyrics are cringy. People have requested In Love This Way, yeah right, maybe when Hell freezes over. A few songs are misunderstood by today's audiences, like I'm Not a Loser and Pervert. Rather than try to make people understand the context of those songs (i.e. written 40+ years ago, by a bunch of teenagers), we decided to just not play them. Do you feel The Descendents matured as a group along with the members?
Our subject matter is definitely more mature, because it reflects who we are as parents, husbands, oldsters, etc. It wouldn't make sense to write about "young love" at our age, for example. Still, a good fart song is timeless, and I don't think we've matured in that department! Did you expect that The Descendents would still be an energetic mainline punk rock band 40 years later?
Absolutely not. I even wrote a song where I vowed it wouldn't happen ("I Quit"). But music is addictive, and keeps you young, which is why we keep doing it! As to why people still want to hear us, I have no idea... Maybe because we still enjoy playing so much, we can still bring a ton of energy to the shows. I love seeing both young and old people at our shows, never would have expected that. Did you ever think that this many people would relate to your lyrics? Was that the goal?
None of the songs were written to have people relate; we write to get shit off our chests, for our own therapy/entertainment/pleasure. So it's really just icing on the cake that other people can relate.
What's your favorite song to perform live? Is that the same as your favorite studio recording?
Probably Victim of Me, it's a great song to belt out. Fave song in studio would be Without Love. Do you feel like at this time in your life that the crowd fuels your energy?
Most definitely. When people are singing along, it feels like one big party, plus I can have them sing the song if my voice is shot! And if people are slammin' in the pit, that brings me back to my youth.
If you had a choice to go on tour with three bands what would they be?
Pears, A Wilhelm Scream, and NoMeansNo (broken up, but maybe we could convince them to return?)
You have been on both sides from DIY to headlining festivals, do you feel like today's technology had better advertising for a bigger reach?
Yeah, promoting shows has really become a digital art form, and no longer limited by geography. We used to have to rely on the local promoter to put up flyers and print ads, now the bands can do all that and more via social media. Music is more DIY now than it has ever been, you don't even need to work with a record label any more.
How does it feel to have a logo featuring your head?
It used to feel weird, and we tried to get away from it in the mid-80's. But it's hard to deny the appeal, due to the simplicity of the drawing (it's so easy to tattoo!). So these days I'm used to it, and I even suggest t-shirt ideas featuring the face ("what stupid thing can Milo do for the next t-shirt?")
In 40 years of playing, what show do you regret playing if any?
Pretty much any show where I've lost my voice... and there have been a few. Being unable to sing the songs correctly makes me want to just hand people their money back. Most of the regret is not for the show itself, but what I did or didn't do leading up to the show, like practice enough or get enough sleep. Sometimes I run myself ragged on the day of the show, maybe sightseeing in a city I've never been before, and it affects my performance. "Gee, I guess I shouldn't have gone river rafting 3 hours before set time..." That kinda shit.
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